After the War

Chapter 22

Harry ignored the stitch in his side and his chest screaming for oxygen, but instead, continued to sprint through the blissfully empty Hogwarts corridors, refusing to pause and catch his breath. Through short breaths, he heaved "Isla Haddow" to the griffin and sprinted up the steps two at a time. Finally, he hunched over with his hands on his knees, trying to breathe deeply; but, he caught sight of the time on his watch and after cursing under his breath, threw open the doors in front of him.

"I'm so sorry, Professor. I know I'm late." The door shut behind him with a satisfying thud and he made his way up to McGonagall's desk with an expression that he hoped was remorseful.

"Harry, so kind of you to join us," she said dryly, barely turning away from Bill who was already sitting in front of the desk in what was clearly one of his best sets of robes.

"I'll be better about watching the time, I promise," Harry said hastily as he approached the desk.

"Best not make promises you can't keep."

 Harry snorted and fell into the seat beside Bill.

"Now that we are all here, I'll go get the papers." She disappeared into the back end of the office and faint rustles reached the ears of the two newest Hogwarts Professors.

"That's a very professional look you're going for," Bill remarked with a smirk, eyeing Harry's converse, jeans, and flannel over a plain t-shirt.

"Yeah, yeah. I see you took this to be a very formal meeting."

"It is basically the first day of the job, Harry."

"Not really. But you still didn't have to one-up me."

"What, by being on time?"

"Exactly." 

Bill didn't have time to retort because the Headmistress returned from her search in the back and promptly interrupted.

"Right. So as I mentioned earlier in summer, Bill wants to work for either three or four days every week. Harry, have you decided how often you want to teach?" Her hands rested on top of each other on the parchments that she refused to reveal and looked expectantly at him through her square rimmed glasses.

"Yes. I think I've decided on two days."

"Wonderful. Then Bill will work Mondays through Wednesdays and Harry, you will work Thursdays and Fridays. Now, do either of you have a preference for which years you teach? I already have Bill down for teaching the seventh years." Bill and Harry glanced at each other, equally apprehensive to share their opinions. "Speak now or forever hold your peace until next year," McGonagall said tartly, not missing their shared glance.

"Okay, well I don't particularly want to teach the really young kids," Harry admitted. Not only did he feel completely inadequate in his understanding of young children, although his ineptitude at taking care of Teddy was slowly improving, but he also reasoned that maybe the students would be less awkward around him if they were a bit older. Harry would have been a student at the same time as them, so they wouldn't act so completely awe-struck, right?

"I'll take the first and second years then," Bill said, leaning against the arm of his chair.

"Wonderful. I'm sure you've had practice with the little ones as the oldest in your family," McGonagall commented as she tapped the parchment in front of her with her wand. "So Bill will have the first, second, sixth, and seventh years then, and Harry will take the middle three. Good?" She looked up at them and they both nodded their agreement.

"Good," she confirmed to herself. "Next order of business is the expectations for all Professors at this school. First, I feel compelled to mention that punctuality is very important." She fixed a stern gaze on Harry who bit back a smirk. Bill, on the other hand, did not even attempt to hide a chuckle. "Also, since there are no other Gryffindor Professors yet, I will have to ask you to both be heads of the house for the days that you are here. I'll step in as needed over the weekends when neither of you are at the castle, but I will need you to be here on the Hogsmeade weekends."